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Vegetables
Sow Broad Beans outside ( Aquadulce ) first two weeks of the Month. (
see
October )
Plant out Garlic.
Begin preparing your vegetable patch
by digging in well-rotted compost / manure. Ensure
all Brassicas are netted against pigeons and yellowing leaves are removed.
Harvesting Pick
Brussels Sprouts from the bottom up. After
the first frosts harvest Parsnips, as they taste sweeter. Celeriac can also be left in the ground for a bit, but do protect them from the
cold with a thick mulch of straw, bracken, or other suitable material. Lift and store root crops such as carrots, beetroot, turnips and swedes. Harvest leeks. They can be heeled in horizontally into a shallow trench outside.
You may have other vegetables ready for harvest: winter cabbage, spinach, Swiss chard, kohl rabi and radishes can all still be cropped.
Cauliflowers can be harvested, or left in situ with the leaves snapped and
folded down over the curds to protect them. Herbs Complete the harvest of apples and pears. Only store unblemished fruit to
prevent rotting in storage.
Plant any cane, bush and tree fruit ordered last month. Do not plant if the ground is frozen or waterlogged.
Start winter pruning of established, open-grown, apple and pear trees (not cordons, espaliers, pyramids or fans).
Gooseberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants can be pruned from around now, but
it might be better to wait until late winter/early spring, so that any winter damage can be removed at the same time. Wounds will also heal faster in the
warmer weather.
Cut out the fruited canes of blackberries and hybrid berries, if not yet done.
Formative pruning of young, free standing, fruit trees and bushes (under three
years old) can also be done from now.
Mulch fruit trees and bushes.
Lift and divide rhubarb plants to propagate them, or to rejuvenate old crowns.
Strawberry runners that have been potted up for forcing in February and March
next year, should now be turned on their sides, or placed in a well-ventilated cold frame. Excess moisture or warmth could cause rots or precipitate premature
growth.
Hardwood cuttings can be taken this month - this is a great way to propagate
blackcurrants, redcurrants, white currants, gooseberries and grape vines - providing they are disease (especially virus) free.
Clean and store bamboo canes in the shed (or other dry place) to ensure they're still in good condition for next year. Place cloches over tender herbs, or those sensitive to excess rain, and protect
them against winter wet and cold. Around the Garden
Clear up leaves
( leaf mould ) and debris. Protect
vulnerable plants from frosts. Order seed catalogues for next year, if you haven't already done so.
Dig over, incorporating well-rotted organic matter. After digging, you may want to mulch.
Winter rye can still be sown as a green manure well into November.
Remove any yellowed leaves on Brussels sprouts and other brassicas.
Digging over the soil in winter exposes soil pests to frost and bird predators. Frost will help improve soil structure.
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